Finish composition for polyolefin fibers



United States Patent 3 255 107 FINISH COMPOSITIOll FR POLYOLEFIN FIBERSAnn S. Keller, Norristown, and Harry H. Hall, Springfield, Pa,assignors, by mesne assignments, to FMC Corporation, San Jose, Calif., acorporation of Delaware No Drawing. Filed Apr. 19, 1962, Ser. No.188,839

8 Claims. (Cl. 2528.75)

This invention relates to finished polyolefin fibers. More particularly,it relates to polyolefin yarns or fibers having applied finishes whichenable the yarns to be satisfactorily processed and utilized in thecommercial production of textiles and in machine sewing operations.

Polyolefin yarns, for example, polypropylene and polyethylene yarns,tend to develop high electrostatic charges and excessive tensions whenrunning over guides, godets, and other objects during processing andsubsequent handling. The utilization of unfinished polyolefin yarn intextile production and sewing equipment is unsatisfactory.

Static and tension problems have been encountered in the use of othernatural and synthetic polymer yarns, and finishes which are satisfactoryfrom both the standpoints of application and use have been developed forthem. However, the polyolefins have different physical characteristicsthan most other filament forming polymers and conventional finishes andmethods for application thereof are not suitable or effective inproviding the necessary fiber to fiber lubrication, proper fiber tometal frictional behavior, and adequate static suppression.

A primary object of this invention is to provide a fin- I ishedpolyolefin yarn which is suitable for high speed processing, textile andsewing operations.

It is another object of this invention to provide a method of finishingpolyolefin fibers which is elfective in providing fiber lubrication andstatic suppression.

These and other objects are accomplished in accordance with thisinvention with a finish composition for polyolefin fibers consistingessentially of from about 1 to by weight of a di C C alkyl cyclohexylamine salt of a C -C fatty acid sulfate, and a completely esterified C-C fatty acid ester of pentaerythritol. The C -C alkyl groups of thecyclohexyl amine salt include for example, methyl, ethyl, propyl, butyl,amyl, hexyl, and isomers of these groups. The C C fatty acids for boththe fatty acid sulfate radical of the amine salt and for the fatty acidester portion of the pentaerythritol ester include for example, capricacid, lauric acid, myristic acid, palmitic acid, stearic acid, oleicacid, linoleic acid, etc. The completely esterified pentaerythritollaurate is the preferred pentaerythn'tol ester of this invention on thebasic of ayailability and performance as a polyofin fiber lubricant.

The invention also includes polyolefin fibers, for example,polyethylene, polypropylene and polyisobutylene fibers havingincorporated thereon the above described finish composition, and amethod for the application of the finish to the fiber. The method ofpreparing finished polyolefin fibers comprises applying to said fibersthe above described finish composition in the absence of water and ahydrocarbon oil. The fibers of this invention may be in the form ofcontinuous monofilaments, multifilaments, staple, etc. The finished yarnor fiber may be scoured in the usual manner after processing or the yarnmay be used in further textile operations with the finish remaining onthe fiber, as desired.

Many lubricant antistat combinations were investigated to develop asatisfactory finish composition for polyolefin fiber. Beforecombinations of lubricants and antistats were tried, however, ascreening test was conducted to determine whether the lubricant orantistat material would degrade the polyolefin. Screening involvedplacing approximately 0.2 ml. of the liquid lubricant or antistat onto3,255,107 Patented June 7, 1966 a sheet of polypropylene film which hadbeen secured to a glass plate. A piece of graph paper was placed betweenthe film and the glass and served two purposes; it would indicatepenetration of the film by the liquid; and also give an indication ofthe spreading action of the lubricant or antistat. hours of film contactproduced no change in film appearance such as waviness or puckering. Ifpuckering did occur it was assumed that it was caused by penetration ofthe lubricant or antistat into the film and this type of behavior wouldalso occur with a polypropylene fiber. Puckering Was considered to becaused by plasticization or a similar phenomenon and test materialscausing it were rejected.

The above screening test indicated that parafiinic oils and lowmolecular weight esters had a noticeable undesirable effect on the testfilm. Applications of these materials to polyolefin yarn at spinning andthe consequential softening or plasticization of this yarn corroboratedthe screening test results.

To demonstrate the specificity of this invention there is set forth inthe following table a list of finishes, the components of which havepassed screening tests but which have been found unsatisfactory eitherin their application or in their ability to improve characteristics ofthe yarn.

TABLE I No. Finish Composition Percent By Weight 1 Diethylcyclohexylamine salt of lauryl sulfate. 3-5 Coconut oil 95-97 2 Diethylcyclohexylamine salt of lauryl sulfate-.- 3-10 Sorbit an monooleate 1.55 Butyl stearate 85-95. 5 3 Diethanolamine salt of dilauryl phosphate-.3 Sorbitan monooleate 4 Butyl Stearate 93 4 1-hydroxyethyl-2-oleyl ethylglyoxolinium ethosulfate 3 Sorbitan monooleate. 3 Butyl stearate 94 5Sorbitan monooleate. 5 Butyl st earate 95 6 1-hydroxyethyl-2-oleyl ethylglyoxolinium ethosulfate 3 Sorbitan monooleate 4 Coconut oil 93 71-hydroxyethy1-2-oleyl ethyl glyoxo ethosulfate 5 Sorbitan trmleate 20Esterified pentaerythritol 8. D iethyl cyclohexylamine salt of laurylsulfate- 10 Water. 90 9 Diethyl cyclohexylamine salt of lauryl sulfate-10 D iethylene glycol 90 l0. Diethyl cyclohexylamine salt of laurylsulfate 5 Polyethylene glycol (M.W. 400) monooleate- 95 11 Diethylcyclohexylamine salt of lauryl sulfat 5 Dialiphatic ether ofpolyethylene glycol---.- 95 12 Esterified pentaerythritol 60 Nonionicemulsifying agents. 40 13.. Finish No. 12 10 Water. 90 14 Finish No. 1295 S orbitan monooleate. 3 N-cetyl N-ethyl morpho In ethosulfate 2 15..Finish No. 14 20 Water. 16-- N-cetyl N-ethyl morpholinium ethosulfate. 5Technical grade octanol 95 17. N-cetyl N -etl1yl morpholiniumethosulfate 10 Water- 18. N-cetyl N -ethyl morpholinium ethosulfate 10Diethylene glycol. 90 19. N-cetyl N-ethyl morpholinium ethosulfate 2Finish No. 12 98 20----. Polyoxyethylene modified tallow acid primaryamine V 5 Polyethylene glycol (M.W. 200) monolaurate 21.---.Polyethylene glycol (M.W. 200) monopelargonate 22. Polyethylene glycol(M.W. 1000) monostearate..-.- 2 Polyethylene glycol (M.W. 200)monopelargonate- 98 23..... Diethanolamine salt of dilauryl phosphate 5Finish No. 22 95 24- Diethanolamine salt of dilauryl phosphate 10Polyethylene glycol (M.W. 200) monopelargona 90 25----- Polyethyleneglycol (M.W. 400) monopalmitate Water 98 26..- Diethanolarnine salt ofdilauryl phosphate... 10 Polyethylene glycol (M.W. 200) monolaurate 90The material passed the screening test if 24 In addition to the aboveyarn finish compositions, many other unsatisfactory combinations weretested which were identifiable only under chemical tradenames and/ orbroad chemical terms.

Polyolefin fibers and in particular polypropylene fibers are much moredifficult to finish than other synthetic or natural polymer fibers. Theyare non-polar materials and as such have no affinity for the usual yarnfinishes. They are hydrophobic and in general, water base finishcompositions cannot be used to obtain a satisfactory finish. Thepolyolefin fibers are degraded by treatment with hydrocarbon oil basecompositions and become undesirably soft. For these reasons, the finishcomposition is extremely critical in order to obtain satisfactory yarncharacteristics.

The following example is set forth to demonstrate finish application andcomposition in accordance with the invention.

Example A finish comprising 2% by Weight of diethyl cyclohexyl aminesalt of lauryl sulfate and 98% of the completely esterified lauric acidester of pentaerythritol was prepared. This finish was applied topolypropylene approximately 800 denier, 34 filament yarn just prior tothe primary take-up by means of a kiss roll 6 inches in diameter and 1%inches wide. The finish permitted the yarn to be collected onto astandard take-up tube with ease. Moreover, it was a definite aid inprocessing the yarn through a draw-twisting operation.

Various changes and modifications may be made in practicing theinvention without departing from the spirit and scope thereof and,therefore, the invention is not to be limited except as defined in theappended claims.

We claim:

1. .A finish composition for polyolefin fibers consisting of from about1 to by weight of a di-Ci-C alkyl cyclohexyl amine salt of a C -C fattyacid sulfate, and a completely esterified C -C fatty acid ester ofpentaerythritol.

2. The finish composition of claim 1 wherein the cyclohexyl amine saltis diethyl cyclohexyl amine salt of lauryl sulfate.

3. The finish composition of claim 1 wherein the pentaerythritol esteris the lauric acid ester of pentaerythritol.

4. A polyolefin fiber having incorporated thereon a finish consisting offrom about 1 to 5% by weight of a di C -C alkyl cyclohexyl amine salt ofa C -C fatty acid sulfate, and a completely esterified C C fatty acidester of pentaerythritol.

5. The polyolefin fiber of claim 4 wherein the cyclohexylamine salt isdiethyl cyclohexyl amine salt of lauryl sulfate.

6. The polyolefin fiber of claim 4 wherein the pentaerythritol ester isthe lauric acid ester of pentaerythritol.

7. The method of preparing finished fibers which comprises treatingpolyolefin fibers with a finish in the absence of water and hydrocarbonoil, said finish consisting of from about 1 to 5% by weight of a di-C Calkyl cyclohexyl amine salt of a C -C fatty acid sulfate, and acompletely esterified C -C fatty acid ester of pentaerythritol.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein polypropylene fibers are treated with afinish consisting of from about 1 to 5% I by weight of diethylcyclohexyl amine salt of lauryl sulfate and the lauric acid ester ofpentaerythritol.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,139,276 12/1938Lehrer et al 252-8.75 2,191,033 2/1940 FaW 2S2S.75 2,597,947 3/1952Oxlev et al. 252-8.75 2,614,984 10/1952 Thomas et al. 257. -R 72,668,785 2/1954 Jefferson et a] 252Zt 3,009,830 11/1961 Levine 2528.9

JULIUS GREENWALD, Primary Examiner. J. T. FEDIGAN, Assistant Examiner.

1. A FINISH COMPOSITION FOR POLYOLEFIN FIBERS CONSISTING OF FROM ABOUT 1TO 5% BY WEIGHT OF A DI-C1-C6 ALKYL CYCLOHEXYL AMINE SALT OF A C10-C18FATTY ACID SULFATE, AND A COMPLETELY ESTERIFIED C10-C18 FATTY ACID ESTEROF PENTAERYTHRITOL.